Pico Technology announced availability of the new PicoScope 4000A Series PC-based oscilloscopes, a second-generation upgrade and expansion of the company's high-resolution, deep-memory product portfolio. With two-, four- and eight-channel models available, the PicoScope 4000A Series boasts 12-bit hardware resolution (to 16 bits with resolution enhancement), 256 MS deep capture memory, 20 MHz bandwidth with 80 MS/s sampling speed, up to 70 dB SFDR and a built-in 14-bit triggerable signal generator and 80 MS/s AWG. A SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface powers the instrument and delivers up to 160 MS/s communications to the host PC.

All models run with the popular PicoScope 6 user interface and benefit from the free PicoSDK software development kit, which gives users direct programming control of the hardware for custom applications. The scopes also work with PicoLog 6 data logging software for lower-speed long-duration captures.

"Pico Technology is striving to provide new and enhanced solutions that keep pace with each new generation of demands placed on engineers, scientists and technicians,” said Trevor Smith, business development manager at Pico Technology. “The 4000A Series is intended for users who need to make multi-channel precision waveform measurements of sensors, actuators, audio, vibration, power and electromechanical signals as well as low-speed electronic sensors and serial communications.”

The SDK allows users to write their own software to create custom applications with the 4000A Series hardware. Drivers for Windows, macOS and Linux are included, making the 4000A Series ideal for a wide range of OEM applications.

Example code, hosted on the Pico Technology GitHub pages, shows how to interface to third-party software packages such as Microsoft Excel, National Instruments LabVIEW and MathWorks MATLAB and programming languages including C, C++, C# and Python. The drivers support USB data streaming, a mode that captures gap-free continuous data over USB direct to the PC’s RAM or hard disk at rates of up to 160 MS/s. Capture size is limited only by available PC storage.

The new PicoScope 4000A Series is available worldwide, priced from $899 / €759 / £629. Each unit has Pico’s five-year warranty.